Chute switching mechanism



CHUTE SWITCHING MECHNISM Senz/azz peZ Z v s.. F. CORBELL CHHTE SWITCHINGMECHANISM .-Aug. 11,

Filed Aug. 28. i941 v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vantages are attained,

. the outer open end of the member M. The l wall oi the member M, at itsupper or outer 55 wall or plate I4 are substantially parallel and lPatented Aug. -11, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f CHUTE swrromNGMEcnANls Sherman F. Corbeil, Clifton, Ariz. Application August 2s,1941,'seria1 No. 408,696. 4 claims. (cl. iss- 31) ing the articles to besuccessively received with.

in the compartments.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my improvedreceiving receptacle whereby certain important adas will be hereinaftermore fully set forth. V l

-In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe-the same with reference to the 'accompanyingdrawings, wherein: v

Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of.a receptacle constructed inaccordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation at the receiving end of the chuteassociated` with the re.

ceptacle; A

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in top plan voi the rear portion ofFigure 1';

' Figure 4 is avertical sectional view taken substantially on the line4-4 of Figure 1, with'the receptacle in working position; and

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line5-5 of Figure 1, with certain of the parts in diiierent positions.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, W denotes the wall of adesired structure. having chute whereby it is the structure asillustrated in extremity, has hingedly connected therewith, as at 1, aswinging gate orflap 8 which is normally maintained by gravity in closedposition, as particularly illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings It isto be noted that this ilap or gate 8 is of such length as to havecontact with thebottom wall 2 of 4the member M before reaching averticalposition.

The rear end of the member M is continued by a chute C, said chute atone side having its bottom wall 9 gradually increasedrin width, so vthat the lower end of the chute C is of a width materially greater thanthe width of the inner end of the chute, or that end of the chuteimmediately adjacent to and in communication with the member M. The sidewalls I I of the chute C are in continuation of the side walls I2 vofthe member M. The'outer or wider end of the bottom wall 9 of the chute Chas depending therefrom a plate` I4 of desired dimensions, and whichplate constitutes the back wall for a receptacle R. The receptacle R isprovided with the suitably spaced partitions I5 which, in connectionwith each other and with the side walls I6 of the receptacle R, providea. plurality of compartments I1, herein disclosed as threein number.Each of these compartments I1 is of such size and'has its outer wall I8so designed as to readily receive an individual article I9 of bottled"goods or the like.

Each of the compartments I1 is open at its top and bottom and within thelower portion of each of the compartments is a rock arm 20, onel endportion of which extends-outwardly through a suitably positioned opening2| in the back plate or. wall Ily and is pivotallv supported by a pivotprovided therethrough .the suitably positioned,

downwardly and inwardly inclined slot I of desired dimensions. Snuglyfitted within and extending through the slot or opening I is a tubularmember M, 'the bottom wall 42 or flange Y3 which has close contact withthe outer face of the wall W and assures the proper main- Y tenance ofthe member M in applied or working position. Disposed over the outersurface of the of which, at its outer end, is provided with a dependingapron cular plate. of desired rod 22 heldin proper position by theoutstanding lugs 23 carried by the back pla'te or wall Il. The rod 22 inthepresent embodiment of the inven- ,tion` is common to all of the arms2|). Carried by each of the arms 20 and positioned substantiallycentrally of the compartment I1 is a cirradius and suitably carried uponthis plate 24 is a. cushion pad 25 of n rubber compound or such othermaterial as maybe preferred.

The' bottom wall 9 of -the chute C, immediately adjacent to the backwall or plate I4, is provided with the upstanding partitions orwalls'26, each of which is aligned with a partition I5.` Thesepartitions or walls 26' together with the side walls Il of: the chuteprovide runways. there being one runway for each of the compartments I1.At' this time it is to be stated that the portions of I the walls IIimmediately adjacent to the back that the partitions or walls 26 aresubstantially coextensive in length with said parallel portions of thewalls Il.

The outer ends of the partitions 'or walls 26 have hingedly connectedtherewith, as at 21, the switch arms 29, said arms when in open positionhaving contactwith the outwardly inclined portion of a wall Il, and forwhich reason one of said arms 29 is of greater length than the other.Each of these arms 29 Vis normally held at the limit of its outward oropening movement by a leaf spring 39. In the present embodiment of myinvention one end portion of this spring 30 is suitably secured, as at3|, by welding or other-` h member 33 is of a length to extend through alu-@suitably positioned opening 35 in the back wall or plate i4 so thatsaid ilexible member 33 can be secured to the rock arm 20 in thecompartment l1 which is closed oil-by the arm. As before stated, theswitch arms 29 are normally in an outward or closed position and, asherein disclosed, this leaves free for access a side or end compartmentI1. An article, such as a bottle 'of milk or the like, inserted withinthe member M will ride down over the chute C into this end or sidecompartment I1. As this article I9 drops upon the pad 25 within suchcompartment the rock arm 20 will be depressed and for a distancesufcient to impose pull upon the connected exible member 33 to throw thecoacting switch arm 29 into its closed position with respect to saidside or end compartment, and in such position that when the next articleis inserted within the member M it will be received within the nextcompartment l1, wherein the operation just recited will be repeated inconnection with the second switch arm, except that this second switcharm when swung into its closed position will have contact with thepreviously closed switch arm 29. It is believed to be obvious that whenthe third article is placed within the member M it will be deliveredwithin the next successive comparti ment.

4 and 36 arctherrods 31. The outer end portion of eachof these rods 31carries a suitable indication 38 so that when the outer end of a rod j31 is projected the party delivering the articles will readily know thenumber desired. The rear endsof these rods 31 are provided with similarindications 39 and the outer faces of the plates 4 and 36 have placedthereon, closely adjacent to the rods 31, similar indications 40.

to be obvious that a receiving receptacle constructed in accordance withmy invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of theconvenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle divided intoa plurality of article receiving compartments, a chute delivering tosaid compartments, said chute immediately adjacent to the compartmentsbeing divided into runways, there being one runway for each compartment,a pivoted switch arm at the entrance end of each of the runways forcontrolling said entrance end, each of said switch arms being movableindependently of the remainder, means for normally maintaining each ofsaid switch arms in an open position with respect to its associatedrunway and to close entrance to the adjacent runway, and means operatedby the weight of an article received in one compartment for moving theswitch arm associated with the runway delivering to said compartment toa position to close the delivery to said compartment and to guide asucceeding article to the adjacent compartment.

2. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle divided` intoa plurality of article receiving compartments, a chute delivering tosaid compartments, said chute immediately adjacent to thecompartmentsbeing divided into runways, there being one runway for eachcompartment, a pivoted switch arm at the entrance end of each of therunways for controlling said entrance end, each of said switch armsbeing movable independently of .the remainder, means f or normallymaintaining each of said switch arms in an open position with respect toits associated runway and to close entrance to the adjacent runway, andmeans operated by the weight of an article received in one compartmentfor moving the switch arm associated with the runway delivering to saidcompartment to a position to close the delivery to said compartment andto guide a succeeding article to the adjacent compartment, thecompartments being vertically disposed vand open at their upper ends,the chute being at the upper ends of the compartments and inclineddownwardly toward said open ends.J

3. A device of the class described comprising, a receptacle divided intoa plurality of article receiving compartments, a chute delivering tosaid compartments, said chute immediately adjacent to the compartmentsbeing dividedy into runways, there being one runway for eachcompartment, a pivoted switch arm at the entrance end of each-of therunways for controlling said entrance end, means for normallymaintaining each of said switch arms in an open position with respect toits associated runway and to close entrance to the adjacent runway,means operated by the weightof an'article received in one compartmentfor moving the switch arm associated with flexible member to swing theswitch arm into its second position.

4. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle divided intoa plurality of article receiving compartments, acchute delivering tosaid compartments, said chute immediately adjacent to the compartmentsbeing divided into nmways, there being one runway for 'each compartment,a pivoted switch arm at the entrance end of each of the runways forcontrolling said entrance end, each of said switch -arms movableindependently of the remainder, means for normally maintaining each ofsaid switch arms in an open position with respect to its associatedrunway and to close entrance to the adjacent runway, and means operatedby the weight of an article received in one compartment for moving theswitch arm associated with the runway delivering to said compartment toa position to close the delivery to said compartment and to guide asucceeding article to the adjacent compartment, the portion of the chuteadjacent the receptacle being gradually increased in width, thereceptacle extending from substantially one side of the wider portion ofthe y

